


Growth

by yungidreamer



Series: Yungi Soulmates [21]
Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Apologies, Babies, Bruises, Childhood Memories, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gardens & Gardening, Home, Multi, Plans For The Future, Slice of Life, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, discussion of previous injuries from angry sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:14:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27505150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yungidreamer/pseuds/yungidreamer
Summary: Yungi and their girl spend a day at the botanical gardens and finally begin to see their future together filling in before them.
Relationships: Jeong Yunho/Reader, Jeong Yunho/Song Mingi, Song Mingi/Reader
Series: Yungi Soulmates [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1898728
Kudos: 13





	Growth

“I’m so excited to see everything today,” she said as they stepped off the train and onto the platform at Pelham Parkway station.

“There is so much to see here,” Mingi said as he looked at the map of the gardens on his phone. “Can we be sure to go to the greenhouses? I really want to see the rainforest.”

“Yeah sure,” Yunho assured him. “We have all day. It’s a little chilly this morning, do you want a little coffee or tea from the cafe to take with us?”

“Good idea,” she rubbed her hands together even as she spoke, trying to warm her fingers. “Not sure why it feels so chilly this morning. It was definitely warmer the other days.”

“It’s okay,” Mingi grinned, coming up behind her. “All the more excuse to hold your hands.” Reaching around, he gathered her hands into his much larger ones and brought them to his mouth to blow warm air on them. “See? All better.”

“Thank you, my Mingles,” she replied, turning her head to place a kiss on his cheek. “Oops, I forgot about my lipstick. Let me—”

“No no no, it’s okay,” Mingi pulled away enough to keep her from wiping it off. “I want to wear your kisses today.”

“Me too?” Yunho leaned down and offered her his cheek.

“Of course, I’d never forget my Yuyu,” she cupped his cheek and pressed a kiss to the offered cheek, taking special care to caress his face as she kissed him. “I love you.”

“Thank you,” he murmured, pressing her hand against his cheek.

“I’m not going to let you doubt it again,” she promised, running the pad of her thumb over his cheekbone. “Let’s get something warm, then I want to spend the day looking at pretty things with my very favorite people.”

“Tea or coffee?” He straightened up and pulled out his wallet.

“I want the whipped creamiest, sweetest, fluffiest coffee they have,” she gave him a decisive nod at the idea.

“Okay, I’ll grab that, and you, love?” He turned to Mingi.

“Just a latte of some kind I think,” Mingi agreed, coming to hold their girl against him. Yunho nodded and leaned in to give Mingi a quick peck on his lips, then skipped up the steps and into the cafe.

Mingi lifted her hands up again, pulling down her sleeves slightly so he could press them completely against his cheeks. As he did, he noticed purple green bruises that ringed her wrists, which had been hidden by the long sleeves of her fluffy sweater. She pulled her hands back when she realized he had caught sight of them.

“I didn’t know he had held you that hard,” Mingi said, catching one hand to peek down her sleeve as she tried to hide it.

“Don’t mention it to him,” she requested, pulling the wool over her wrist again. “I think he probably feels bad enough. I want to have a fun day today. I can hide them with makeup tomorrow. He doesn’t need to know.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t stop him,” Mingi murmured, casting an eye towards the cafe to make sure Yunho wasn’t coming back already. “I should have stopped him, for both of you.”

“It’s not as bad as it looks I think,” she shrugged and offered him a sunny smile to help convince him that everything was fine. “Don’t worry. It wasn’t your place to stop him. If he really hurt me, I would have told him. He just… it was my fault anyway.”

“No babe,” Mingi shook his head and pulled her into a hug. “You didn’t kiss her, she kissed you. And you pushed her away, anyway. Yunho should trust you enough to know… to know that you aren’t going to leave.”

“I don’t have a leg to stand on there,” she laughed ruefully. “But I’ll build it back. With both of you.”

“I trust you,” Mingi declared firmly. “Nothing to prove to me. But I won’t say anything. I want to have a good time with you both today.”

“The best day,” she nodded. “I want to see all the fun things and see and smell all the cool plants.” 

Yunho appeared beside them, three coffees in hand and a broad grin on his face. “Are we all ready to go to the gardens?”

Both she and Mingi nodded as they took their cups and turned down the streets that would lead them to the gardens. They made their way past the long blocks of mostly brick apartment blocks until they reached the edge of the park. They walked through the non-descript gray stone gate and over the pedestrian bridge, suddenly finding themselves feeling like they were no longer in the city. After checking in at the gate, they followed the light switchback in the walkway down and into the park before swinging left on the broad paved path. Ahead of them there was a sudden proliferation of blooms in pink and white stretching up into the blue sky. Cherry trees dotted the grassy areas of the hill ahead of them.

“This was absolutely the best idea for a place to visit,” she said as she looked up at the cherry trees surrounding the trail they were on. Smiling up at Yunho, she offered the beautifully teal-haired boy’s had a grateful squeeze.

“There are so many,” Mingi said excitedly, putting a protective hand around her shoulder as they walked. A light breeze stirred the trees, sending a brief flurry of petals into the air. The trees weren’t tall for the most part, but their limbs looked like they should be heavy with the blooms that had burst to life on them. They wandered in circles among the trees, admiring the different colors and shapes of them all.

“I love the ones that sort of droop,” she said as she pointed at one that had branches that seemed to flow down towards the ground. “They feel sort of peaceful somehow.”

“Did you see how many petals this one has?” Mingi asked, standing near one that was back up the hill closer to where they had started. She and Yunho joined him there at the low tree that branched out broadly from its base. The flowers looked like they should be made from water colored paper. Pale pink with occasional darker edges, the tightly packed petals bunched together in beautiful bunches of flowers on the branches.

“Do they have scent?” She asked, looking up at them. At her question, Mingi turned his face into the nearest branches.

“Mmm, just a little,” he nodded. “Come here.” Reaching out, he picked her up around her waist and lifted her up to smell for herself. Closing her eyes, she buried her nose in the pack of blossoms and breathed in. A barely there scent, something like roses with the light notes of lilacs came to greet her.

“Oh, I like it,” she breathed, taking another sniff. “It’s so light though.”

“Yeah,” Yunho agreed, smelling a nearby bunch. “I wonder if you would smell it more if you had it inside where the scent could build a little.”

“Maybe,” She nodded. “I’d try it if this were our tree, but I don’t want to steal from the gardens.”

“Me neither,” Yunho laughed. “Let’s go see the trees I know will smell.”

“Oh?” Mingi said, putting her down and taking her hand as they all started moving in the direction that Yunho set off towards. He led them north along the path they had come on, going past the fork in the path where they had entered, taking the one they hadn’t before. The path was surrounded by tall, old trees whose branches arched over the path and would shade it later in the year when their leaves had filled in.

Suddenly they found themselves coming up on a sea of trees dressed in pink, white, and pale green. The older trees here were larger and the blooms much bigger and growing as individual flowers rather than cloud-like bunches.

“Magnolias?” She asked excitedly, taking Yunho’s free hand in hers.

“Yeah,” He grinned down at her. “I really wanted to see these. I thought you would, too.”

“This is just… amazing,” she breathed, taking in all of the trees. Stepping off the path, she walked up to a small craggy looking tree blooming with flowers with petals that were a deep pink on the outside and bright white on the inside. Reaching out, she touched one of the velvet soft blooms, gripping it just hard enough to bring it to her face so she could breathe in the scent.

“The trees really do smell amazing,” Mingi agreed, coming up behind her. “Maybe, when we have our house, we can plant a magnolia that blooms in spring and we can sit under the tree together. Have breakfast on spring mornings.”

“Maybe with a picnic table?” She began, then gave an excited gasp. “Maybe one of those swings?”

“Or hammocks?” Mingi added with a big grin. “One that is big enough for three. Maybe room to grow?”

“Room to grow?” Yunho asked.

“Don’t you want, like someday, little mini us’s, you know, running around?” Mingi asked as he sipped his coffee.

“Yeah,” Yunho agreed, having had a vague picture of himself chasing after little versions of one or the other of them for as long as he could really recall. “I do.”

Stepping back she looked up at the two boys beside her. a little frown developing between her brows. “It wouldn’t… it wouldn’t bother you to not know, like, if it’s yours?”

“What do you mean?” Mingi asked, a quizzical expression on his face.

“You wouldn’t treat them differently if they looked more like Yunho than you? Or vice versa?” The question had been one of the many things that had been running through her head when she had tried to imagine their future. “Am I supposed to take turns?” She further wondered aloud, her mouth twisting into a distressed pout. “Do we have to make sure we know whose is whose?”

“Do you really think we’d be worried about that?” Yunho asked.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I think most people would. And I think your parents will care. It would be okay if you cared. We can figure it out if it matters to you.”

“I don’t care,” Mingi shrugged. “And I really don’t care if it bothers my dad. In fact, I sort of hope it does.”

“My mom would love any kid we all had,” Yunho said with surety. “At least your parents will always know it's yours.”

“That’s true,” she let out a nervous snicker. “But I’m still not sure they would like it, that they would approve.”

“Does it matter?” Mingi asked. “Would it bother you if they didn’t approve?”

“Yeah,” she admitted. “Maybe it’s dumb, but I still want them to understand. I want them to accept me.”

“You know they love you,” Yunho assured her. “They’ll come around. Even if it takes some time, they want you to be happy most of all. I know that to be true.”

“I hope so,” she nodded, giving him a smile. “Thank you for the coffee.”

“Gotta keep my girl warm,” he replied, pulling her against his side. “Hafta take good care of her.”

“You always do,” she soothed, patting his hand with her free one. “Would you mind if we just sat for a little while?”

“Actually, I brought snacks,” Yunho said proudly. “Let’s take a seat under one of the trees, finish our coffee and have a little something. Here,” he handed her his coffee and reached into the backpack he was carrying. Pulling out a small rolled up towel, he moved to lay it down under some taller mostly white flowered trees that were next to the path. He put the backpack down and sat cross legged on the towel and patted his lap, inviting her to sit. She smiled, lowering herself into his lap and leaning her head back against his shoulder.

Taking the coffee’s out of her hands and placing them on the grass beside them, Yunho wrapped both arms around her, pulling her back against his chest. He turned his face to nuzzle into her hair, just taking in her warmth and her scent. A part of his heart still felt uneasy despite the smile he had made sure to keep on his face. He had made a mistake yesterday and the guilt was eating at him, but he wasn’t sure if bringing it up again was just selfish and about soothing his conscience more than making amends.

Bringing a hand up to caress the side of his head and face, she tried to offer him a little comfort. Yunho wasn’t nearly as good at hiding his feelings as he thought. Even if Mingi didn’t think so, it was her fault and she would do whatever it took to make him really smile again. She felt Mingi’s hand land on their legs and she moved her other hand to entwine her fingers with his.

Around them the breeze fluttered the petals of the tree and people enjoyed the park. Pairs passed by using the paths for exercise as they socialized and laughed. Families with children ran and played, exploring nature or running through the open grass. The space was filled with people yet everyone still existed in their own little bit of it. No one took particular interest in the people they weren’t there with, simply tolerating or otherwise barely taking note of the others around them.

“I want a garden,” she said softly as she turned to look up at the tree above them. “I want a big magnolia in the yard and cherry trees that also make fruit we can have in the summer. And I want some climbing roses that I can pick and put in vases inside to make the house smell nice.”

“What about some wisteria on the porch?” Mingi suggested. “I like the pretty purple flowers.”

“What about a little place for herbs so I can cook you lots of good food with fresh rosemary and parsley?” Yunho suggested. “Maybe we could even just plant some actual food? Tomatoes, peas, zucchini? What else can you grow at home?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “Mom and dad have black thumbs and have hired other people to care of the yard beyond just mowing the grass.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Mingi stated confidently. “We’ll make our own little botanical garden with everything we want.”

“It’s too bad it takes so long for trees to get big,” she looked up at the branches that stretched above them. “I want to sit like this with you two every morning.”

“We’ll just have to get something with trees already,” Yunho shrugged. “Then just add to it.”

“At least the place we have now is nice,” she stated, a small smile on her face. “I like that we have space for everyone. It feels like a home at least.”

“It is home,” Mingi pulled her face in for a kiss. “Any place with you two is always home.”

“You’re right,” Yunho nodded. “I think I’m just impatient to get to the part where we have it all figured out.”

“You mean when we are old and retired,” she joked, turning in his lap to be able to look at him. 

Both the boys laughed and Yunho gave a blushing shrug. “I guess I’m optimistic to think we’re just a few years from having everything figured out.”

“I think we’re doing okay,” she assured him. “Maybe figuring it all out is more important than having it all worked out from the start.” She started to scoot out of his lap and Yunho tightened the grip of his arms around her. “I’m not going anywhere, I just want to do something.” He let her go after another seconds pause. She prompted Mingi to turn so he was sitting facing towards Yunho before she scooted into the space between his legs, she slipped off her shoes and crossed her legs. “Can you lie down? Is there enough space?”

“Yeah,” Yunho nodded, a warm sensation blooming in his chest. Laying down on his side, he put his head on the soft pillow of her lap. Her fingers nested in his lovely teal hair, tossling it and running her nails lightly over his scalp. The sensation sent a calming shiver through him and he wrapped his long arms around both their legs.

“Comfortable Yuyu?” She questioned with a smile. He nodded in response, letting out a sigh as he let his eyes close a little. Comfortable didn’t seem like a word deep enough to explain what they offered him. Laying with them was peace and happiness, it was warmth and the surety that everything was right in the world. Their love made everything else inconsequential, it always had. It was the thing in his life he never questioned. He wanted more than anything for the past few days to have never happened; to have never worried that they did.

When her movements paused he opened his eyes seeing her hand reach for her mostly empty coffee cup. The stretch of her arm caught the sleeve of her sweater, pulling it up off her wrist. It was just a flash, just a second before she caught it, feeding the sleeve back down her arm, but it was enough for the bruises to catch Yunho’s eye. Propping himself up on his elbow, he caught her arm and pulled back the fluffy, oversized sweater sleeve. She tried to stop him, tugging her arm back so that she could keep them hidden, but his insistent and gentle grip kept her from doing so.

“I…” he started, a lump closing his throat around the words he wanted to try and say.

“Yeah, they’re from you,” Mingi said, putting his arms around their girl from behind her as she averted her eyes. Yunho looked up to meet his eyes and saw a heat, a challenge he hadn’t ever seen there before as he held her protectively.

“I didn’t mean to…” He shook his head, bringing her hand to his cheek.

“I know,” she soothed, turning her hand to cup his cheek. “I know you never wanted to hurt me.”

“Yes you did,” Mingi interrupted, a sharp edge to his words. “You wanted to hurt her and I should have stopped you and I will if you ever do that again.”

“It’s okay, Mingles,” she reached her other hand to hold Mingi’s arms that were wrapped around her. “It was my fault; I deserved it. He didn’t mean to… not really.”

“No love,” Yunho rushed to correct her, his heart stuttering at the sad guilt that was filling her eyes. “You didn’t deserve anything.” His vision blurred and he tried to blink the burn of tears away. “Even if you did something you never deserve that. I wish I hadn’t…” There was too much that he didn’t know how to say, all the words sticking in his throat. “No matter what you do, I’ll never do that again.” He shook his head, letting it drop into her lap for a moment before he lifted it again to look at her. “Why did you let me touch you like that?”

“Because I deserved it,” she shrugged, giving him an ashamed look. “And I had to show you that I was sorry. We both needed me to hurt and it just… you needed me and I can’t say no if you need me.”

“No babe,” Mingi squeezed her tighter, a softness entering his voice as he spoke to her. “Never again. You didn’t deserve it. I’ll never watch that happen again and I don’t care what I have to do. Never again.”

“Never,” Yunho agreed, putting an apologetic hand on Mingi’s arm near where she held it. “I won’t ever again, but if something ever happens, I want you to protect her no matter what, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Mingi nodded at him, a little of the heat of his anger dissipating, leaving only a slight simmer behind his eyes. “No one is ever going to hurt her if I’m there.”

“Thank you,” Yunho lifted himself to his knees and crawled up into their laps, hugging both of them, with her squished between their much larger bodies. He stayed like that for only a moment, certain that his weight would quickly become uncomfortable for her in no time. Pulling back, he guided Mingi’s lips to his, offering him both a thanks and an apology in the gesture. He stayed kneeling in the space just in front of them as he gave a supplicating lick to Mingi’s bottom lip, begging him to let him deepen the kiss. As Mingi acquiesced, Yunho felt her small hands come to rest on his narrow waist as she leaned her head into his chest. Gratefulness at their shared gesture of acceptance filled in around the spikey feeling of guilt that still sat in his chest, making it ever so slightly duller even as it stayed there weighing heavily on his heart. He felt their love with more confidence than any words could have given him.

“Thank you,” he said again, pulling his lips away but leaning his forehead against Mingi’s. “I am so fortunate that you both love me. Even if I don’t always deserve it.”

“We all have things we need to do better,” Mingi admitted, a feeling of pride in himself rising as he realized that he hadn’t once looked around to wonder what everyone must think of them. Even now, as the thought crossed his mind for the first time, he only thought,  _ anyone who would be anything other than envious of having so much love would have to be living a sad life. _

Yunho saw some thought pass over Mingi’s face, leaving a confident angle to his chin and a brightness in his eyes. He wondered, briefly, what it was but only smiled at him as he sat back on his heels, looking at the two loves of his life as they sat together, eyes on him and full of warmth.

“Yuyu,” she said softly, getting his attention. “What snacks did you get us, love?”

“Right,” he nodded, turning to reach for the bag. Out of the bag he pulled three boxed sandwiches, small bags of chips, and little containers of fruit salad and handed a set to each of the other two.

“Really?” She laughed, looking at the food he had handed her, amusement dancing in her eyes.

“Hmmmm?” Mingi looked down at the girl sitting between his legs. “What’s funny?”

“I was wondering if you would notice,” Yunho grinned, pulling out cans of soda.

Mingi frowned slightly and looked at the food in his hands. Ham and cheese, fruit salad, chips… there was a little niggling at the back of his mind. There was something there but he couldn’t quite place it.

“Would it help if I said we could meet a little later and read together a little?” She gently patted Mingi’s knee. “Or maybe we should all fall in a lake…”

“Summer camp,” Mingi gasped, his eyes widening excitedly. “I would have never remembered. How did  _ you _ remember?”

“How could I forget?” Yunho laughed back. “That summer was the start of the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“Aww babe,” she laughed, opening the cardboard box that held her sandwich. “This is adorable and sentimental, but if there are better sandwiches next time, you should probably get those.”

“What, are you trying to tell me there are better sandwiches to be had than this classic?” Mingi scoffed from behind her. “Classics can never be replaced.”

“My simple boys with their simple needs,” she laughed, taking a bite.

“You say that like it's a bad thing,” Mingi pouted, drawing his lips into a long line.

“No babe, not at all,” she shook her head, giving him a little bump as she spoke. “It’s just good to remember that it is little things that make you happiest.”

When they had finished eating they made their way along more of the gardens until they reached the large glass and iron greenhouse Mingi had so been looking forward to exploring. Taking a hand of each of the other two, Mingi set off at a lope to the entrance located at the front of the large central domed area. It was a gorgeous building and nearly intimidating in its scale. It somehow managed to give off both a staid and extravagant feel when you looked at it; simple and dignified in its colors but grand in its build.

Stepping inside past the ticket counter they found themselves in a small tropical world. It was warm and moist unlike the outside and felt natural and fresh in its air. The walkway circled a central pond that had a grand display of plants rising out of the water surrounded by large palms of all sorts.

“I wonder how tall it is?” She wondered for the second time during their trip as she stood below a grand dome that seemed larger than it ought to be.

“Wouldn’t it be cool to have something like this that you could visit all the time?” Mingi said, turning slowly in a circle as he took in his surroundings.

“Amazing,” Yunho agreed as he slipped an arm around Mingi’s ribs. Mingi smiled and leaned into the embrace as they both continued to look around.

“Boys, look,” their girl said excitedly as she moved over to one side of the first glass domed room. “Orchids.”

“Wow,” Mingi breathed coming up behind her to take in the long glass hall filled with flowers and plants lining either side of the paving stone walkway. “Look at all the different colors.”

“I bet there are more than we can see from here,” she coaxed as he paused near the entrance. He nodded and together the three of them stepped in, making their way along the path slowly as they took in all the plants. Bursts of blooms in every shape and color were tucked into every corner of the display. They hung from the branches of the trees and were tucked in among filler plants and in little pots placed on shelves or the ground.

“Yunho,” she turned and asked him as he walked half a step behind them. “Can we have a greenhouse?”

“You want one?” He asked, running his thumb along the side of her neck.

“I want to grow some orchids,” she nodded as she moved closer to a display full of flowers in pink, white, and red. “I want to grow some of these. And maybe some things like the herbs that can’t grow outside in the winter.”

“If you want it, I’ll build it with my own hands if you want,” he nodded. 

“We could have our own jungle?” Mingi asked from beside her.

“Our own little jungle,” Yunho nodded. “Maybe we can sit there in winter and have our breakfasts.”

“Our own forest,” She agreed. “That sounds like home to me.”

“It will be,” Yunho nodded.

“I want to grow them too,” Mingi lifted her up, excitedly bringing her up to a level to better see some yellow orchids that were hanging from a branch nearby. “Let’s have them in every color.”

“I can’t wait,” she laughed. Yunho hugged them both from behind, resting his chin on Mingi’s shoulder as he looked at the flowers with them.

***

Yunho carried her into the room, having picked her up on his back about a block and a half from the b&b when he saw her yawn. He carefully knelt down, letting her slide off and take a seat on the foot of the bed to remove her shoes. Mingi flung himself on the bed beside her, nuzzling into her cheek.

“Did you have fun today?” she asked, turning to look into his sparkling eyes.

“Yeah,” he nodded. “Can we get an orchid when we get home? For practice?”

“Practice?” Yunho grinned, taking a seat near his head. “To make sure we don’t have black thumbs _before_ we invest in a whole greenhouse and all?”

“Yeah,” Mingi grinned. “Seems like a good idea.”

“Mmm, yeah it does,” Yunho agreed as he stroked the top of Mingi’s head. “I know another thing we could practice.”

“Oh?” Mingi said, looking up at him from where he lay.

“Yeah,” Yunho wiggled his eyebrows as he leaned down to take Mingi’s soft lips in an upside down kiss. “Like this. What do you think?” Mingi only grunted in response, bringing his hand up to hold the back of Yunho’s head.

Just as she was about to turn and join her two boys, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and saw _Dad_ on the caller ID. Hitting the green phone button, she sat up and brought the phone to her ear.

“Hey, dad,” she answered. “What’s up?”

“Hey kiddo,” he replied. “You’re not busy are you?”

“Nah, what’s up?” She shook her head and stood up, moving to look out the window.

“I just wanted to let you know I rented the cabin upstate for the month of July,” He informed her, papers shuffling in the background. “Can you invite San to come? We’d like to have the whole family together for it.”

“Yeah, I can call him when we get off, but,” she turned and looked over her shoulder at the two boys still making out on the bed. “Can Mingi and Yunho come too? I’ve kind of gotten used to having them around all the time.”

“I think we have the space, so that’s fine, I guess,” her father replied after a pause.

“Thanks dad,” she said gently. “Maybe I can actually teach Mingi to canoe properly without getting us all in the water.”

“Good luck, honey,” her dad laughed. “That boy is a bit of a disaster with things like that.”

“Hey,” she returned, feeling the need to defend him even if it was sort of true. “He… tries hard.”

“He does, bless him,” her father let out a laugh on the other end. “He’s a good kid.”

“Yeah, he is,” she agreed.

“You guys having fun there in the big city?” He asked in an almost absent minded way. “Everything has been okay?”

“Yeah,” she agreed. “We went to the botanical gardens today. Do you remember the big tree grandma had in her yard? The one I always really liked?”

“The magnolia?” He replied after a pause. “Yeah I remember it. Why?”

“We saw a bunch of them today at the gardens,” she explained in a wistful tone. “It just reminded me how much I liked it and made me think of her.”

“That tree was beautiful and she always had a few cut in a vase inside whenever it was in bloom,” he reminisced, taking a moment to remember the amazing woman that had been his mother. “She would have liked knowing that magnolias make you think of her.”

“Do you think we could go by her old place and get some seeds from the tree?” She asked quietly. “Maybe see if I can’t get them to sprout?”

“Doesn’t hurt to try,” he admitted. “The people that bought her house were nice enough. If they still own it, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind. In fact, I’ll give them a call when we’re done, if you’d like.”

“That would be nice,” she agreed. “Thanks, dad.”

“Anyway, I won’t keep you,” he sighed. “I just wanted you to send an invite to San for me.”

“I’ll do that tonight,” she promised. “Thanks for calling, dad.”

“Love you, kiddo,” he told her warmly.

“You too,” she replied. “Bye.”

“Bye,” he said a second before his side went silent. Taking the phone away from her ear, she pulled up San’s number, clicking the phone icon to start the call before flopping into the soft armchair.

“Chipmonk, is everything okay?” San said when he answered the phone, having seen that it was her calling.

“Hey, bro,” she said warmly. “Everything is fine; good even. I’m calling with an invitation though.”

“An invitation?” He made an interested sound, a smile clearly in his voice. “Go on, you’ve got my attention.”

“I’m reserving you for the month of July,” she stated flatly but with good humor behind it.

“A month?” He asked in surprise. “What do you need me for a full month for?”

“Vacation,” she laughed. “Dad rented the cabin we get sometimes upstate. He wanted me to bring you along, and I told him you and I come with the boys. So, summer with us. It will be just like camp, but with my brother… and my parents… well okay, on the upside, none of the uncool kids like Laci will be there.”

“I can’t wait,” he replied. “Thanks for the invite, Chipmunk. You know my best summers were always with you.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” she waved him off. “This summer will be great at least, I promise.”

“I know,” he sighed, a warm smile on his face, even if she couldn’t see it. “You guys are the best family someone could ask for.”

“You know we love you, San,” she reminded him sweetly.

“I know,” he nodded. “I’m so lucky.”

“I’m gonna go but I’ll send you a picture of me looking beautiful tomorrow,” she promised.

“You mean like you always do?” He asked, a grin in his teasing voice.

“Pfft,” she snorted. “You flatter me, but I’m gonna look so good for the dinner tomorrow. It will knock your socks off.”

“Love, of you looking good removed my footwear,” he scolded. “Then I would never have them on.”

“Ugh,” she rolled her eyes. “You can save that flattery for whenever you get a girlfriend or something. But I’ll send you a pic of all of us together at least.”

“I can’t wait,” he chuckled.

“Okay,” she sighed. “I’m gonna go, but I miss you. I’ll see you soon, okay? Take care of yourself.”

“Love you, Chipmunk,” San said with all the affection he felt in his heart.

“Love you, too, big bro,” she returned with equal love.


End file.
